A Ray of Sunlight

Chapter 23 - I Closed My Eyes Tight (Haruto's POV)

TW: death, cursing and violence

When I walked into the center the next morning, I got a call to go to the science department. I weaved through models and busy scientists carrying boxes of supplies, almost tripping on one and finally got to the lab at the back of the hallway. I slowly pushed down the handle and pushed the door to meet a neat labroom. Hiroshi and Koichi stood there, examining a computer.

"Hi Hiroshi and Koichi. What are we doing?" I asked, slowly closing the door behind me.

"Hi Haruto, you finally came." Hiroshi said in a monotone voice. He picked up a can of energy drink next to the computer and took a sip. "The results for the screw came back." He reaches for a small white box at the edge of his desk and carefully picks up the screw with his gloved hands. "The screw is from a rare metal that is found on this planet." He picked up a paper report and handed it to me. "The metal's radioactive and normally, the radioactiveness of the metal would decrease over time but a company found a way to decrease the radioactiveness in a short period of time. The process makes the metal usable. You should go with Koichi to see if there's any more clues. Also, I gave Koichi a tracking device. Apparently the owner of the company's a stubborn one. I'll help you in any way that I can in the lab."

I nodded and Koichi and I walked out the door and flew through the window. The wind pounds on my skin and my ears hurt so much but I can't be stopped by this. I close my eyes and bear through the pain until my ears are numb.

When we got there, we were greeted by a group of robots. Well, not exactly greeted.

"What the fuck?!" Koichi yelled as the robots pinched us. The beams didn't penetrate the robot and the metal on the robot's surface was extremely hard. The armor did little to protect our skin. As a matter of fact, as the robots pinched, the metal armor started twisting too and we were left looking like metal hedgehogs. Finally, the robots stopped pinching but they placed their sharp hands onto our wrist, brought our arm back and forced us to walk into the factory. Soon, we were standing in front of a little short man with an enormous forehead and a stubby chin.

"Sir, there's intruder-"

The man turned around and took a look at us. "You stopped my work because of these two kids?!" He shouted at the robot. "Kids, this is not a joke. Leave." He turned back to the machine.

Koichi tried shaking off the robot but couldn't. "Sir, did you get an order for multiple sheets of metal for robots? Specifically black market robots?"

The man turned back again. "Robots, robots, that's all they build. I don't know." He said harshly.

"Sir but the black market robots are going to destroy everything and-" I said but got cut off.

"Ehh?! I said I don't know!" The man said. "Are you going to leave or not?!"

Then, I heard a click and out of nowhere, Koichi jumped up from the spot and tackled the man, pinning him to the ground and stepping on his head using his dirty shoes. The poor man, confused and frightened by Koichi's sudden movements, flinched and started yelling.

"Help, help! Robots! Robots?!"

"Your robots got shut down by a scientist back on our planet." I looked at Koichi, feeling confused. "Hiroshi." He added "Tracking device, remember?"

The now defenseless man could only shout and cry as Koichi continued to twist his arm. "Let go! Let go! I'll tell you! I'll tell you!"

"Speak first." Koichi said coldly, twisting harder. I inched towards a nearby wall, not wanting to interfere with Koichi's methods.

"I only know, I only know the company that ordered from. I don't know the name. Please let go...ow...ow!" Koichi let the man go and the man quickly scrambled to his desk and got out a name card. "He...here kid I mean sir." The man looked at us with longing eyes. "Can you please leave."